The Bruins are in pretty good shape in their first-round series against the Red Wings. They have a 2-1 lead in the best-of-7 entering Game 4 on Thursday night (8:05 p.m., NESN, WBZ-FM 98.5), after bouncing back from a 1-0 loss in Game 1. They’ve re-established home ice advantage, restored the defensive alignment they used for much of the 15-0-1 run in March that pushed them to the best record in the league, and are surviving the absence of wingers Chris Kelly (back) and Daniel Paille (suspected concussion).

They haven’t necessarily overpowered the Wings, so the B’s don’t seem to presume they’re going to advance. It might be a little harder to focus than in past years, though, since the next opponent for the winner of this series has already been determined.

Because a bracket-based formula has replaced the previous system of re-seeding teams after each round, a division winner like the B’s knows it will face a division opponent in Round 2. And that opponent is the Montreal Canadiens, who swept their first-round series against Tampa Bay.

Bruins coach Claude Julien was asked about that on Wednesday in Detroit, and said:

“I don’t know that we’re going to play Montreal.That’s the biggest thing you could ever do -- expect. We’ve got a series we’re in right now. The last time I looked, I think we’re just up by one game. Before we start thinking and talking about (facing Montreal), we’ve got to start doing our jobs here. Our minds are a long ways away from that.”

There’s no doubt that’s how Julien is handling the situation, and the way he’s telling his players to handle it – if he even mentions it at all.

It’s hard to think it’s not at least a potential distraction for the players, though.

First of all, there’s the human nature factor: They know who’ll they play if they make it to the next round, and they genuinely hate that opponent.

There’s bound to be a more concrete factor, as well: With Montreal the only Canadian team to even qualify for the playoffs, and with reporters who cover the Habs also knowing what could lie ahead, the media contingent covering the B’s-Wings series is bound to swell – but not to talk about the B’s-Wings series.

The Bruins pride themselves on their ability to remain focused, no matter what situations arise. They may soon have to rely on that skill a little bit more than usual.